A Meat Eaters Guide To Surviving Diabetes

Diabetes management requires specific dietary changes. However, it does not mean that you need to give up all your favourite foods. 

Many people believe that diabetes patients should quit eating meat and only eat plant-based products to manage diabetes better. But, this is not true. If you are a regular meat eater and love to eat meat, you can still continue doing that. All you need to do is choose healthier options of meat and reduce the overall consumption of meat in your diet.

Best Suited Meat Options For Diabetes Patients

• Very Lean Meat

Very lean meat is classified as the type of meat with 1 g of fat and 35 calories per serving. It mostly comprises turkey or chicken breast without the skin and is considered to be the best meat for diabetes patients. 

• Lean Meat

Lean meats are the ones that have 3 g of fat and 55 calories, such as some beef cuts like sirloin, lean pork like fresh, canned or boiled ham, poultry like chicken and turkey, and veal. 

The Meat To Be Eaten In Moderation

Although leaner cuts are the best type of meat for people with diabetes, you can sometimes also indulge in smaller portions of medium-fat meat.

 Medium fat meat is the meat that contains 5 g of fat and 75 calories per 1-oz serving, such as ground beef, pork chops, roasted lamb, veal cutlets, poultry with skin, ground turkey, etc. 

Remember that these are not very healthy meat options for diabetes patients and, therefore you must eat them infrequently. 

Are There Any Meats You Need To Avoid In Diabetes?

People with diabetes should avoid eating red and processed meat, like ham, bacon, sausages, beef and lamb. They are all high-fat meats with about 8 g of fat and 100 calories per 1-oz serving. 

Many researchers have also found an association between red meat and type 2 diabetes. People with a higher red and processed meat consumption are known to have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes and diabetes complications like heart diseases, obesity, etc. 

However, if cutting down red meat altogether seems like a challenge, you can continue satiating your cravings with leaner cuts of red meat infrequently. Red meat options are, therefore, also included in the above sections. 

Some Healthy Alternatives For Meat Lovers

Even though you can eat meat with diabetes, you should always try to reduce your meat consumption. For this, you can replace some of the meat in your diet with fish. In fact, many doctors recommend including fish in your diet at least two times a week. 

Some of the best types of fish you can add to your diet are fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, mackerel and sardines, shellfish like crab, lobster and shrimps, and other fish like cod and flounder.  

Plant-based foods like beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains are also excellent meat alternatives. They are highly beneficial for diabetes patients as they help decrease HbA1c levels, enhance weight loss, improve cholesterol profile, reduce depression and lower neuropathy symptoms. 

How Much Meat Can You Eat In A Day?

The amount of meat you can eat with diabetes varies from person to person. It depends on many factors, including age, body weight, activity levels and diabetes complications. Therefore, it is best to consult your doctor or dietitian to ensure that you are eating a balanced amount of meat.  

However, as a general rule of thumb, you should choose a variety of protein foods and try to replace some of the meats and poultry in your diet with fish and plant-based alternatives.    

On A Final Note

If you have diabetes, you should try to reduce your meat consumption. However, it doesn’t mean you need to eliminate meat altogether from your diet. You can continue eating healthier meats like very lean and lean cut meats. There are also many other alternatives that can help you reduce your meat consumption, like fish and plant-based foods. 

References: 

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22983636/
• https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/fd_exch.htm
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/meats-for-diabetes
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/meat-good-or-bad#type-2-diabetes
• https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/10-ways-to-eat-well-with-diabetes
• https://www.diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well/protein
• https://drc.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000534.full